You Must Be Her (EN)
by Onde Tu Esteves
Summary: They've always been Riley and Maya, but now... The life of a young woman full of plans, with a wonderful family, who was about to graduate from a graduate course focused on work with children with special needs, had ended at four-twenty-five minutes that afternoon between Daly City And San Francisco.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi, how are you?**_

 _ **Here is another story that I don't know if I will be able to finish.**_

 _ **How did this idea come about?**_

 _ **Monday was Valentine's Day in my country, I was having lunch when I heard a story that made me write this story.**_

 _ **This story was very difficult for me to write it and as English is not my native language, there are certainly many mistakes here, I'm sorry you're reading this!**_

 _ **If you see random letters in the text is just my laptop hating me, sometimes I detect these letters, more often I don't.**_

* * *

Riley and Maya were inseparable, from the day the little blonde came in through the window of the brunette's bedroom who hummed happily their fates were intertwined. There was no Riley without Maya and there was no Maya without Riley, in both destinies the two would be together forever, or at least for as long as possible.

Riley was the most romantic between the two, she was waiting for a handsome Prince Charming who would take her off her feet and they both would live happily ever after. In another hand Maya, more realistic, she'd be happy with just someone who at least bothered to let her know before he leaves her, something that displeased Riley Matthews.

In them sophomore year Riley were in a two-year relationship with Lucas Friar, she was even wondering what would be the names of their kids and what bridesmaid's dress that Maya would wear at her wedding and the dress she would wear on the christening of Riley's children.

Unfortunately, things didn't work out and for Maya's unhappiness, they ended up breaking up in fall and Maya had to piece together the pieces of Riley's heart.

In the spring, there was a Cultural Week at their school. Maya was glad to be able to sleep on her desk for a week without being bothered by teachers. After lunch, Riley led Maya into the classroom where there would be a presentation by an exchange student that Riley had helped in the beginning of the school year. Maya thought she would sleep for the next few hours, but Riley forced her to watch at least her friend presentation while the blonde took little naps and ended up being awakened by the brunette's nudges. The only thing Maya remembered was that he talked about Brazil, something about royalty, independence, something about a father had said to his son, at last, the boy said in front of the classroom the following sentence:

"Se o Brasil for se separar de Portugal, antes seja para ti, que me hás de respeitar, do que para algum desses aventureiros. "

And he repeated it in English for everyone, it was something about Brazil wanting to become independent of Portugal and the King would rather have his son, who respect him, in command than any adventurer. Maya felt her friend stir at her side and Riley become impatient for the rest of the presentation. At the end Riley leaned her head on her shoulder and praised her friend's work, Maya knew there was something else so she asked her to stop beating around the bush and say what she wanted.

"I just liked that quote that he said: "Pedro, if Brazil becomes independent, I would rather have you, who respect me, in command than any adventurer." Did you like?"

"Yeah."

She said paying no attention.

"You know, the king kind of asks that his son, someone he knows very well, takes care of something as precious as a country to prevent another person who doesn't have so strong bonding with the country and with him stay with the country and ruin it. I know I'm talking bullshit, but I kind of like that idea."

"Did you like it?"

"Maya, can I ask you something?"

She said a little insecure and Maya turned to her friend.

"Sure."

"I know, we're too young and this may be silly, but I kinda wanna ask you something. I know this sounds very stupid, but I'd love if you would accept what I'm going ask..."

"Cut the crap and say it!"

"That quote shook me. I trust you, Maya. I would trust my life to you and everything that is more precious to me."

She said holding Maya's hand who rested her available hand on top of hers.

"Me too, Riley! You're the best thing that ever happened to me!"

"And you're the best that happened to me, as well." She smiled lovingly at Maya. "So, I'd like you to take care of the most precious things in my life when I'm gone."

Maya looked at her confused at her friend's words.

"What are you saying, Riles?"

"Like, in a good few years from now, when I die, I'd like you to take care of my kids and my husband as if they were yours."

Maya laughed at her best friend and Riley let out an embarrassed smile.

"Are you drunk?"

"No, stop laughing. I'm serious, Maya! If something happens to me, I want you, Maya Penelope Hart Hunter to marry my husband and be my children's mom. I want you to be the mom that I will no longer be able to be for my kids when I'm gone"

"Okay, you're crazy!"

Please, Maya! You know me very well, you know my values and the qualities that I most admire and I know you. I know you would be an amazing mother and wife and I know you are a great person. I'd rather you stay with them than another woman who can't stand my kids and can hurt my future husband. I don't want my kids to see women walking in and out on their father's life. I want she to be someone I trust and that they already know and they are comfortable with her; Someone who loves them as much as I will love them, then nothing better than their godmother.

"So, you want me to stay with your husband and your kids just because you know me and thinks that I'm the best option compared to other women. Do you know this is crazy? What if I'm married? What if I'm dead?"

"If you're married when I'm gone, just promise me at least you'll take care of them. If you die first, I will do the same, I will take care of your family as if they were mine and I'll make them mine."

"What if I marry your uncle?"

"Yuck! You're not marrying Josh!"

Said the brunette in disgust at the thought of her uncle and her proposal.

"But what if I get married?"

"I won't marry Josh, but I'll take care of your kids like they were my own."

"You know you're talking nonsense to me, right?"

"Pretty please, Maya! Promise me that you will marry my husband and take care of my kids? I will do the same for you"

"Riley, what if I don't like your husband? If you don't like mine either?

"My love for you is all I will need and it will be enough. Promise me?"

Maya says reluctantly:

"Okay, whatever you want!"

Riley hugged her almost crushing Maya's bones happily at her friend's decision. Maya laughed at the nonsense that her friend had made her promised.

"Thank you, Maya!"

"Try not to die early. I want you at my funeral!"

"I don't want to be at your funeral!"

Said the sad brunette, when the possibility of losing her best friend crossed her mind.

"Neither I at your funeral!"

"Then we'll have to resort to Romeo's method."

"That's enough for today!"

Maya said cutting her best friend off, Riley rested her head comfortably on Maya's shoulders as Maya caresses her dark hair.

That spring talk had been forgotten by Maya since she didn't think it was important, it was just one of her best friend's daydreams.

Years had passed they graduated from high school, went to college and never talked about it again. Riley had decided to go back to Lucas in their senior year of college and two years later they got married, living everything she had dreamed of. In another hand, Maya was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Josh, something that made Riley upset because she wanted her best friend to be happy something that was not happening. Riley and Maya even argued over this topic a few times, Riley wanted Maya let Josh in her past, but Maya was not ready for do it yet.

Unfortunately, their dream of living close to each other didn't come true, Lucas and Riley moved to California due to a job offer Riley had got. The distance didn't end their friendship, it only strengthened their friendship even more; Whenever she could Maya would drop by in California and Riley in New York. A year after her friends had moved Maya was surprised by a request from Lucas and Riley, he asked her to be the godmother of their first kid and Maya had cried her eyes out for not being able to be next to Riley at that important moment in her best friend's life.

Her first goddaughter was named Charlotte, she takes after her mother, she has her mother's eyes and dark hair, Maya even teased about the fact that the girl doesn't look like Lucas. Two years later the couple's second kid had come, a boy named Matheo, who had the same deep green eyes as his father. Several texts, Skype calls, facetime among other forms of contacts were exchanged between friends. Riley told her about her frustrations, despair, fears, and Lucas did as well, which sometimes made Maya feel as if she knew more about their lives than she should.

Everything was perfect, everything was going swimmingly until a certain winter came. Maya would leave her parents to spend the beginning of the year with her friends in California, she was looking forward to it, counting down the days until the second week of January. However, that night when her mother had popped up unannounced at her home she knew something was wrong. In fact, she had felt a few hours ago that something had happened, the pain in her chest and the anguish only had grown when she saw her mother stood at her door, Riley had left her.

Riley had died in a traffic accident near San Francisco late in that afternoon. Her car had been completely destroyed by a truck that had toppled on the highway, more than ten cars had been involved in the accident, four people had died in the wreckage and she was one of them. Riley Matthews was just one more life taken in the deaths statistic in traffic, one more life that no one will remember as soon as the news stop talking about the irresponsibility of an intoxicated driver who had decided it was time to go home and that no one had cared enough to stop him from getting close to the steering wheel of his truck, because it was just a drink and as the police were not there at the moment, he would not suffer punishment. The life of a young woman full of plans, with a wonderful family, who was about to graduate from a graduate course focused on work with children with special needs, had ended at four-twenty-five minutes that afternoon between Daly City And San Francisco.

The days after that moment had passed like a blur, Maya had never felt such pain in her life. She remembered taking a plane with Riley's parents to San Francisco, a friend of Lucas's and Riley's picking them up at the airport, and after a few minutes on the road, they got in her best friend's beautiful home. Lucas was devastated in his room and the kids were playing in another room next to the wife of the guy who had picked them up at the airport. Charlotte recognized her as soon as she saw Maya and hugged her, her beautiful brown hair falling free across her shoulders as she merrily kissed her godmother.

"You are early! Mom said you only came next week. Mom will be so happy when she gets home!"

Maya struggled against her tears and tried her best to smile at the little girl who still didn't know her mother would never come back. Charlotte walked holding hands with her little brother to where Maya was and introduced him to their godmother:

"Matheo, this is Auntie Maya! You don't remember her because you were too small when she came here!"

Maya twined her arms around the almost two-year-old baby and placed a kiss on his forehead, a tear streamed down her face as she began to realize that her friend would never see her kids grow up and they would never have the opportunity to grow up next to the incredible person that Riley was.

The woman approached Maya and the kids.

"Let's your godmother gets some rest, she must be very tired from the trip. How about we watch a movie?"

Charlotte skipped excitedly with the idea.

"I choose!"

"Alright, my angel. Go ahead!"

She took the baby from Maya's arms and hugged her, wishing her condolences, walking away with the kids then.

Maya went to the living room and found Topanga in tears, she was hiding her face in her husband's chest and Cory was trying so hard to be strong and give some stability to his wife. Auggie had stayed in New York to receive his grandparents for Riley's funeral. Topanga had insisted that her daughter's body should be taken to New York because that was where her family was, so they came to take care of the body transfer papers. They turned to Maya as she walked in.

"Where's Lucas?"

"In his bedroom."

Said the man who later Maya s and introduced himself as Joe.

"Have you seen him yet?"

Maya said to the couple.

Topanga moved away from her husband's chest.

"No, I'm not ready yet, I can't ..."

She stopped in the middle of the sentence when a new wave of crying hit her body. Maya got up and went up the stairs to the upper floor, the stairs ended in a small hall leading to the upper rooms, the sound of her footsteps on the floor sounding unnaturally high for her as they echoed against the walls. The top floor of the house was silent, she could smell the scent of flowers that Riley loved in the air and that scent was trying to destroy that wall she had built as soon as she had got the news of her best friend's death. She had to be strong for them, they needed her.

She stopped in front of the bedroom door, she raised her hand to knock on the door, but she stopped herself, as soon as she opened that door it would become too real and she did not know if she was ready for it yet. Maya took a deep breath, it wasn't time for her feelings, it was time to try to help, comfort them.

The bedroom was dark and messy. Her eyes quickly spotted Lucas in the bedroom, he was sitting next to the closet with Riley's clothes on his hands, he seemed not to be there and didn't even notice that she had walked in his room. Maya knelt down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder and that was what has warned him of her presence. Lucas turned his head toward her and he watched her for a few seconds, both silent not knowing what to say to each other.

"Hi!"

It was the only thing that came out of her mouth, then Lucas pulled her to him and hugged her tight, he got into another wave of crying and Maya could no longer hold her tears and joined him. They stayed like that for a long time, Maya had lost track of time, she did not know if it was day or night the only thing she knew was Lucas's warmth around her. Lucas had stopped crying for a few minutes ago and they have been stared at Riley's dresses in the closet for a while.

"Can you forgive me?"

Maya turned to him without understanding what he was saying.

"Forgive you? Why do I have to forgive you, Lucas?"

"I told her not to go, I said we could go to that stupid store to buy that stupid mattress tomorrow..."

Maya interrupted him, the pain in his voice destroying her even more:

"It wasn't your fault, Lucas!"

"It was my fault! If I hadn't fixed that stupid car in the morning, she would not have taken it and would still be here with us."

New tears streamed down his face and Maya wiped them away.

"Lucas, it was an accident. You're not to blame for anything!"

"What am I going to do, Maya?" He said completely lost "How am I going to tell Charlotte and Matheo that their mom won't come back?"

"You are not alone. You have your parents, Cory, Topanga, Auggie, Farkle and his family, my family and I. I will always be here for you. You can count on me for everything! OK?

He turned to her and hugged her tight, after a few minutes Maya patted him on his back.

"Have you eaten anything?"

"I'm not hungry!"

He said with his face hidden in the curve of her neck.

"You have to eat something."

"But I can't!"

"You have to eat something, at least try it for your kids. They need you.

She pulled away and wiped the tears rolling down his face.

"Are they going to take her? Aren't they?"

Maya waved positively.

"It's the best because your families are there."

Lucas nodded in agreement.

"I'll grab some food for you. OK?"

She laid a kiss on his cheek and slid her hand into his back comforting him before leaving his bedroom.

* * *

 ** _Explanations:_**

 ** _In the original story, the friends met at the beginning of Ginásio (I have no idea what this means in my country or in another country, but I believe it was in their seventh grade) and one of them had this idea in a history class about Brazil's independence._**

 ** _Yeah, someone romanticized Brazil's independence!_**

 ** _The promise of marrying the other's husband occurred in the middle of a history lesson about Brazil's independence. The person who told the story said that her best friend (who had died in a car crash years later) did not want aventureiras (adventurers) in her husband's life, by using the term adventurers she meant women who have no intention to stay, women who just want to mess around._**

 ** _Well, see you later!_**

 ** _I have a long chapter of "This is a love story? No, no way!" to write_**


	2. Riley

_**Hi guys!**_

 _ **How are you doing?**_

 _ **I hope you had a good back to class! (Well, our last school semester has started here. Thank Goodness, the winter is ending in a few days !)**_

 _ **Hi, Guest! Give me a chance, if you ever read my stuff you don't have to worry.**_

 _ **Hi, Crimson and Chrome 42. Thank you so much!**_

 _ **Did anyone watch Now or Never - Halsey music video? I accidentally watched it these days and I really need to know what happens next!**_

 _ **Tiramisuspice is not updating today :(**_

 _ **"Don't get me wrong" PLEASE be updated Like I'm dying, I need more!**_

* * *

Lucas had accepted a half of a sandwich that Maya had made for dinner. Lucas's friends had left them a few minutes ago because they had to take care of their kids who they had been left with their grandparents so they could come over and support their friend going through this difficult time in his' life. Since Topanga and Cory were not good company for the kids at moment, Maya had decided to take care of them. She had given Charlotte and Matheo a shower, fed them, left each one in their beds and read to them leaving a kiss goodnight before closing the doors.

Maya found Lucas in his bed wrapped in the covers. He turned to the door when he noticed the light in the room and when he recognized her, Lucas lifted the covers silent asking for her to join him in that huge bed. Maya pulled the blankets over her body being welcomed by his arms around her. They were in silent, one looking at each other for a couple minutes.

"How are you feeling?"

Lucas asked his friend and Maya realized that he was the only person who had asked her how she feels about everything that was happening. Her mom had put her arms around her older daughter and let Maya cry for a couple hours before they took her to the airport so Maya and Corpanga could take the plane to San Francisco. Shawn had kissed her forehead and said that everything would be ok, she just gives it a time. Cory and Topanga barely talked to her because of the huge pain they are feeling, it was Auggie who had called her asking her to accompany her parents to San Francisco and he hadn't dared to say anything about what had happened.

"I'll be ok ... Someday. You?"

"I can't believe she's not coming back. It's like I'm in a nightmare and I really wanna wake up. I wanna wake up hearing her humming around the house in that flowery dress she likes so much..."

Lucas grows silent and took a deep breath trying to keep fresh tears from rolling down his face.

"She loves you!"

Maya said caressing his face.

"I know. In her way, she loves me."

Lucas turned to the ceiling and stared straight up at it for a while. Maya watched his face, the last time she'd seen him was seventy-two hours ago when he'd called to talk about a dress he was thinking on taking to Charlotte since he could not get in touch with Riley then He had decided to ask the opinion of her godmother who knew everything her friend liked. He had aged a lot in those last hours, that glow he had was gone, fatigue was on his face and Maya wondered if he had ever get some sleep in the last hours.

"Thank you for being here Maya!"

"I would never leave you alone!"

They were silent for a few minutes, Lucas took a deep breath and said:

"My mom called to tell us she already bought the tickets for us tomorrow night."

" Are you going to stay in your parents' house?"

"She said she got some extra mattresses for us."

"If you need, I have an extra room."

"Thank you, Maya!"

"You didn't get some sleep, did you?"

"No, I couldn't sleep on this huge bed alone."

He turned to her, they grow silent for a few minutes again and then Lucas began to remember their memories when they are teenagers and they both laughed, they cried together for a couple hours until the silence returned to the room. Maya felt Lucas's arms on her as he held her, his face hidden by the waves of her blond hair and his breath on her nape showing that he had finally fallen asleep.

 _He woke up with the sunlight lazily lightening his room, Lucas turned sleepily to the other side, his arms searching for the other body who was lying next to him, but there was nothing there. Lucas opened his eyes to confirm the lack of the blonde's presence at his side. Maya had probably got up or left him as soon as he had slept. The urge to get out of bed was none, but even so, Lucas forced himself to get up and get dressed. Lucas was coming down the stairs toward the kitchen when something caught his attention. A noise, a low noise sounded down the stairs and with each step he takes that sound grew louder. That voice, that voice so familiar to him hummed merrily in the kitchen. Lucas couldn't believe what his ears were hearing, he stopped at the kitchen door and saw her leaning in the oven taking a cookie sheet out of it, she was wearing her blue dress with several pink flowers giving her an appearance of a delicate doll._

 _"Good morning, sleepyhead!"_

 _She said amused without looking at him, Lucas was pale seeing her there, alive, her perfume fighting the scent of cookies that she had just baked._

 _"Riley?"_

 _He said confused_

 _"What's it? Have you never seen me, Cowboy?" She said playfully, crossing her arms, Lucas ran and hugged her tightly distributing kisses all over Riley's face which made her laugh and place her hand on his chest stopping him from kissing her lips "Okay cowboy, enough!"_

 _They don't kiss, he doesn't remember the last time he had kissed her, maybe it was when Matheo was born and he caught her off guard. He felt her warm, he could touch her, so Riley was fine and everything was just a nightmare._

 _"I'm so glad you're here!"_

 _Riley smiled._

 _"Me too! I even made cookies from my great-grandmother's book, did you hear me? From my great-grandmother's book, because I know that kids love them." She turned to the cookie sheets. "And Maya likes them, too."_

 _"She's coming, isn't she?"_

 _Riley laughed._

 _"You've seen her before you slept, silly!"_

 _She rolled her eyes and Lucas looked at her confused without understanding nothing._

 _"I'm so glad she's here, and I want you to take care of her, are you hear me? I don't want her to suffer for Josh, no more! I love him, but I love Maya more and we both know he's not the right guy for Maya."_

 _Lucas agreed. One of the things Riley regretted was that she had made Josh go out with her best friend. Maya never knew that, but Riley had almost forced Josh to ask her on a date, and the problem was that he had enjoyed going out with his niece's friend. They were cute and she loved the silly way Maya behaved when she was around him, but he didn't want anything serious with Maya and never wanted to. Lucas never liked this idea, he even tried to get this nonsense out of his girlfriend's head, but who could get something out of Riley's head? If love was in the air and she was happy with Lucas after that weekend with her classmates, why couldn't Maya be happy with Josh? She had only realized that things went from bad to worse when she found her best friend crying in her bedroom._

 _"Well, I think everything is done!"_

 _"I heard that Farkle's coming to San Francisco and I thought about calling him to have dinner here."_

 _He watched Riley's smile wither and she turned to the cookie sheets in an attempt to hide her emotions._

 _Farkle Minkus, the inseparable friend who in recent years has become something like a distant acquaintance. Lucas couldn't ignore all the signs that something had happened between them. It all started in the senior in high school when the two got even closer, they went to parties, movies, ice cream shops, restaurants, parks alone and everyone pretended not to know about that. They were even chosen as the best couple of the year, but they denied being one couple and everybody pretended to believe in them._

 _If Lucas could guess it, he'd say they'd been together for about three years, until a big fight they had and Farkle had returned to his apartment earlier, canceling plans of spent his college vacations with their friends, and a couple months later he let the friends know that he was going marry Sophia, a friend he was sharing his apartment with. Farkle had brought her with him to New York because she was from there and he wanted his friends to meet her and for the first time Lucas saw Riley not being friendly with someone. Sophia was a nice person, but Riley was not willing to meet her and then a few days later Maya and Lucas met in front of the building where the girls were living together at that time and they heard an argument come from their apartment. Maya opened the door and within seconds after that, they saw an annoyed Farkle slamming the door of Riley's bedroom, whisper an apology and leave the apartment._

 _After that day, they drifted away for a while, Lucas knew they tried to make it up a couple times, but in the end, there was always a misunderstanding that Riley refused to talk about and Farkle as well. Then came the inevitable engagement in the senior year of college, then marriage and Riley refused to take part in both. As soon as she heard about the engagement Riley had decided to go to her grandparents' home in Philadelphia for a weekend and when she came back Riley told them that Farkle was going to be a dad, something none of them knew._

 _After those days, there have been few times that friends met again. Lucas was even surprised that Riley asked him to ask Farkle if he would like to be Matheo's godfather. Lucas understood Farkle's absence because he was going through difficult times in recent years. His newly built family was destroyed on a Friday night due to the crash of a helicopter. Lucas remembers that night very well, there were the two couples in the room and the mood between the couple next to him was not one of the best. Maya and Josh had argued a few minutes ago and apparently, they were over, Maya was sitting next to Lucas and Riley while Josh was on the other couch alone, he stood there for a few minutes until getting up and leaving without saying goodbye to Maya. Riley started switching channels for something to watch, but she stops on a news channel so she could answer her mom text, then a breaking news came, the sound of the song lasted a few seconds until the reporter came up with an Image of a helicopter in the top corner of the screen, the reporter was saying something about the crash have occurred at an hour ago at a farm in a small town upstate._

 _Riley was going to switch channels when the name Minkus sounded through the tv speakers, they all turned to the TV and the image of wreckage and flames shared the screen with the reporter, the images of Sophia and Farkle appeared on the screen when the reporter talked about the possible victims, since the Minkus family was expected in a property ten minutes from that region. Riley stared straight up at the TV not believing what her ears were hearing, Maya turned to him incredulously hoping he could say it was all a misunderstanding. Lucas heard the sound of the control hitting the ground and Riley stood up promptly with her phone in hand, probably dialing Farkle's number, she walked back and forth saying no as the two of them watched her, not knowing what to do._

 _Apparently, her calls were going straight to the voicemail because after ten attempts Riley stared at the phone in her hand, her body shivering as a wave of crying hit her body, Lucas stood up to support his girlfriend, holding her in his arms when her legs collapsed. He had never seen her so desperate, Maya grabs her own phone trying to contact Farkle, but nothing, the call still going straight to Farkle's voicemail and when she said it, Lucas felt his girlfriend's body fall on him._

 _"Oh, is he coming?"_

 _She said, her voice in a distant tone while Riley's hands wiggling uselessly on the cookie sheets. Then she puts the biggest smile on her face and turned to him._

 _"I still don't know if he's really coming to San Francisco."_

 _"You three could go to the park and do boy things. I'm glad he'll be able to spend time with Matheo, it's been months since the last time he came to visit him."_

 _"You could join us this time."_

 _Riley lowered her face pretending to look at something on the floor just to avoid looking at him._

 _"I can't!"_

 _"Why not? Why don't you ever want to be with both of us?"_

 _He wanted to know that answer in the past few years, he deserved to know it, but he knew he wouldn't have her answer as soon as she bit her lower lip, lowered her head and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear._

 _"Because it's your men's time and I don't wanna disturb you three"_

 _"That's not the answer I'm expecting, Riley" he was frustrated by the lack of communication that had had been instituted in their marriage in the last few years "would you tell me..."_

 _"Lucas!" He heard her sad voice interrupt him. "I can't. I'm not here anymore if I may call it here. Do you understand what I mean by here? Or rather, I'm no longer alive, Lucas!"_

 _He laughed at the brunette who looked at him upset._

 _"Are you done?"_

 _She said crossing her arms, Lucas laughed even more what made him got a death stare from Riley._

 _"If you're dead, then why am I seeing you stand right here? Why can I feel you?"_

 _She approached him._

 _"Because it's all here," she said pointing at his forehead "in your head."_

 _Lucas laughed._

 _"Stop it, Riley! It isn't funny!"_

 _"Maybe if I had listened to you we wouldn't be like this, but unfortunately this is the reality, Lucas. You will have to go on without me from now on."_

 _He looked at her seriously and from the patient expression she had on her face, Lucas knew Riley was telling him the truth. He felt a pain in his chest and his eyes announced that inevitable tears were on their way. Riley notices the change in her husband's mood and approached to him, she cupped his face with her hands._

 _"Please, don't cry!"_

 _She said in a tearful voice leaving a kiss on his cheek and Lucas pulled her by her waist and hugged her tight. He could feel her tears on his shirt and the way her body was shaking as she tried miserably to control herself. Riley pushed him away after a few minutes._

 _"I need you! We need you, Riley!"_

 _"I can't do anything, Lucas. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the universe's plans that I stayed with you for over sixty years. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see Charlotte and Matheo grow up; I won't be able to hear Matheo's first sentences; I won't be able to take them to the first day at school; I won't be able to make their lunches; I won't be able to throw Charlotte's sweet sixteen party and see her in her fancy princess dress, I will not see the first teenager dramas, I won't be able to see their first crush; I won't be able to see their first dates; Their first boyfriends and girlfriends; I won't be able to hear the complaints about not having anything to wear even if the closet is full of clothes; I will not be there to help heal their broken hearts, I won't be able to see them take their license, I won't be able to take them to college and make them feel ashamed because their mom is crying in the hallways; I won't be able to go to their weddings, I won't see my grandchildren, among thousands of other things that I won't be able to be there and it hurts. But I know you won't be alone, you have my parents, yours, our friends and Maya so I know you will be fine."_

 _"It's not the same, Riley!"_

 _"I know! Lucas, do you remember that I had some little boxes that I asked you not to touch them?"_

 _"Yeah, on the chest of drawers."_

 _"Well, one of them is yours and the other is for Maya. I left some things for you, but I'm asking you for don't open or see things that don't belong to you unless the person who owns it authorizes you to do it."_

 _"Okay, I promise I won't touch them."_

 _"You can open yours, but you can't read what's there for you. You can only read what's there in seven days. And I ask you to actually deliver Maya's box in seven months. Could you do this?"_

 _"Whatever you want!"_

 _"The first thing you'll find when you open your box is a letter to Farkle, and I'd like you to give it to him as soon as possible, and again don't read it."_

 _"why?"_

 _"It's personal, Lucas. Please don't read that! I will be very disappointed if you betray my trust in you like that."_

 _"I won't read that!"_

 _Riley wiped her tears and smiled._

 _"I'm gonna take a look at the kids." She left a kiss on his cheek, Riley placed some cookies on a plate. "See you later!"_

 _She said smiling, Riley practically ran towards the bedrooms happy to see her kids again._

Lucas felt the warmth of her body beside him, he wide opens his eyes and saw the confusion of blond waves in front of him. Maya was still there with him asleep, Lucas lifted his body to see her better and found Matheo resting in her arms like one of those perfect family ads that always appear on television. Matheo's fingers held Maya's blond waves as he always did to his mother when he wanted to sleep because it calms him down.

He needed to be strong for his kids, no matter how much it hurts he has two children to raise by himself, two innocent human beings deprived of their mom's presence and starting from now the two are his unique and exclusive priority. It's time to forget Lucas Friar and be just Charlotte's and Matheo Matthews Friar's dad.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for stopping by!**_

 _ **Have a great weekend!**_

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 _ **Me + Reviews = :)**_ _ **Next Chapter**_

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 _ **XOXO**_

...One thing I love more than being with you...


	3. Saying goodbye

_**Hi, people?**_

 _ **How are you guys doing?**_

 _ **I hope you had a great return to school/college.**_

 _ **I almost lost this chapter this week because my computer was wanting to take a vacation, thank goodness it went back to working on its own.**_

 _ **So here's another important chapter to this story somehow, you'll tell me if it was in the future.**_

* * *

Everyone was gathered in the Matthews' apartment, Maya wasn't ready to be bombarded with so many memories of the times shared with Riley and Riley's family there, so she stood staring at that door for a few seconds until she had the courage to knock on the door. As soon as that door opened she couldn't stop her tears from rolling down. Her eyes met Auggie's browns, those lovely brown eyes like his sister were now a bit red showing that he had been crying a few minutes ago. His arms wrapped around her bringing Maya into a hug as he cries more heavily, Maya strokes his back comforting the boy who was no longer that little boy she had grown accustomed to, now he was nineteen and a foot taller than she is.

After a few minutes at that door Maya felt someone approaching them, she opened her eyes and saw the blonde with whom Maya had shared her experience with her parents' divorce a few years ago when the blonde's parents decided to get a divorce. Ava was already nineteen and had become a beautiful woman with her beautiful curly hair and her still bold attitude. Auggie was lucky to have her by his side after all these years together. Ava had moved to Connecticut to attend college because her personality and commitment earned her a scholarship at a prestigious college, and even though it was a school day there she was beside her boyfriend at that hard time in his life.

Maya tried to keep everything going as well as she could. She took care of the food, the drinks, the kids so they let their grandfathers have a moment for themselves. Matheo didn't leave Maya's side because he was afraid of so many unknown faces trying to talk to him. Riley's grandmother had told Maya that they needed more food because all food that was there wouldn't be enough for everyone, so Maya offered to get more food, she only had to ask Lucas to take care of Matheo since he didn't want to be with his great grandmother. Lucas insistently offered to get the food and Maya understood, he needed some time away from that place, away from all those memories. But before leaving, he left her with an envelope so she could hand it over to Farkle If he had got in before Lucas come back with the food.

Riley's presence was so great that it was suffocating. Maya could see her friend studying at the dinner table doing her best to understand Spanish; She could see her on the couch where several times they watched their favorite Tv shows together late without Cory and Topanga knowing; and Maya could swear that at any moment Riley could get out of that hallway in her uniform saying that she would try to join the cheerleaders team again as she had always done in middle school and high school.

Maya walked through the living room with Matheo in her arms, she could see her parents sit next to the window with Farkle's parents, and incredibly, they are having a real conversation. Maya approached them to greet the Minkus, it's been a long time since she last met her best friend's parents. Mrs. Minkus stood up with a huge smile on her face as she realized that Maya was approaching.

"So, he's the famous Matheo? Hi, Matheo! How are you?"

She said in a childish voice, and unlike what happened with the other people, Matheo didn't hide his face in the waves of Maya's hair when he saw Mrs. Minkus, he even spread his arms when Mrs. Minkus offered to take him in her arms.

"Isn't he so cute, Stuart?"

She said so in love with the toddler. Mrs. Minkus came over to her husband so he could see the boy better.

"Yeah, he is!"

"Doesn't he look like Farkle when he was a baby? Look at that blond hair!"

"Yeah! He really looks like Farkle when he was a baby, but those green eyes... I've seen them somewhere."

Mr. Minkus said trying to remember where he had seen those eyes.

"They're green just like Lucas' eyes."

Maya said.

"Yeah, they are! But Matheo's eyes remind me of someone else."

Stuart looked at his wife who was watching the boy closely.

"They are as green and intense as my mom's eyes."

"Yeah, you're right! His eyes look like my mother-in-law's eyes!"

Said Minkus agreeing with his wife.

"Has Farkle got in yet?"

"Yeah! he did, but I haven't seen him for a while."

Said Stuart looking around trying to find his son.

"I saw him go toward the bedrooms."

Said Katy biting her lower lip after saying that because she knew her daughter still hadn't the courage to go to Riley's bedroom, the place she'd spent much of her life there and that was a danger zone for her right now.

"Ok! Excuse me, I need to talk to him."

Maya said turning to Mrs. Minkus to take Matheo in her arms.

"Please, let him here with us?"

She begged to Maya.

"I don't want to bother you, Mrs. Minkus!"

"You'll not bother me at all. In fact, I miss getting a baby to sit on my lap. I can't wait to have..."

She stopped talking when she realized what she was talking about. Grandchildren, she wanted to have a grandchild. She only got a couple days with Charlotte before she was taken from them in that accident. A sad smile grew on her face and Mr. Minkus slid his hand on his wife's back to comfort her.

"All right! If he starts crying, just call me. Ok? Excuse me!"

Maya took the envelope from her purse and went to her best friend's old bedroom. Her hand went to the doorknob, but Maya prevented herself from opening the door in front of her. Her hands slid by the rough surface of the door and she could feel the comfortable warmth that place was always got on her. If she closed her eyes, she could feel her best friend behind that door, Riley would probably be lying in that bed thinking about all the opportunities she had to make other people's lives better. A tear rolled down her face as she knew there was probably no one there, maybe Farkle was there, but it wasn't the same.

She took a deep breath and opened the door. The blue color was still in some parts of the bedroom contrasting with the wallpaper that resembles small bricks. Pictures of them in various phases of their lives were still scattered around the bedroom. The bay window was empty with its perfectly neat cushions as they once stood. Maya heard a sob and her eyes moved to the bed, Farkle was lying in there hugging Riley's pillows. Maya left the letter in a blue dresser near the door.

"Farkle?"

He pulled back the pillows so he could see her.

"Hi, Maya!"

Maya came over and lay down next to him.

"It's been so many years, and it still smells just like her."

Farkle said, wiping away his tears. He was right, the bed still smelling like Riley in such a way that it was as if she had slept last night there.

"Yeah, it does!"

"I miss her, Maya. I do miss her so much!"

"I know!"

"I have so many things to tell her, Maya. But I can't do it anymore!"

The pain in his voice was visible. Maya knew, Farkle and Riley hadn't talked for a while, even though Riley had decided that Farkle would be Matheo's godfather they weren't as close as they had been before.

"Whatever happened between the two of you. You know, Riley. She isn't... She wasn't a person who holds a grudge. Riley forgave you years ago."

"But I have so many things to say, Maya. So many things that it hurts me. This big lump in my throat is choking me. I just wish... I just wish I had a chance, just one..."

"She loved you, Farkle!"

"And I loved her, Maya. I really love her!

The pain in his voice tore Maya's heart. Farkle's body shook as a new wave of tears hit his body and Maya found herself crying with him on that bed.

They stayed in Riley's bed maybe for hours, Maya had lost track of time while she was there hugging Farkle. Apparently, it was late afternoon because the golden color of the sun's rays gave the room another look.

"I got something for you! " She said moving away from him, Maya went to the dresser and grab the envelope "Actually, Lucas asked me to give this envelope to you."

Maya turned the envelope and saw the unmistakable handwriting of her best friend who had written Farkle's name on that brown envelope. The brown-header man got up from the bed, taking the envelope from Maya's hands. As soon as Farkle recognized Riley's handwriting, Maya saw him turn pale. Farkle sat on the edge of the bed and stood looks at the paper in his hands. His hands were shaking by nervousness, Riley had spent some time in her life to writing that for him, and the contents of that letter could tear him apart as soon as he opens the envelope.

After a few minutes of watching Farkle staring straight down at the envelope and do nothing about it, Maya was impatient, if Riley had left something for her, Maya would promptly open it to read Riley's last words, even if it means she'd never have anything to connect her again with her best friend like that piece of paper after open that.

"Are you going to open it?"

Farkle had, apparently, only now, remembered his friend's presence there. Maya saw Farkle's cheeks flushing as he cleared his throat.

"I'm scared, I'm afraid of what's here, Maya. I don't know if I really wanna read it, Maya."

"Well, you're a lucky one for got a letter from her. I would love to get something like that from her because it would mean that she thought about me and that I was so important to the point that she would spend a few minutes of her life writing me a letter. Maybe it will ease the pain you're feeling, Farkle. Maybe there are words that you would like to have heard from Riley in this letter."

Farkle turned his attention to the envelope, his trembling fingers carefully opening it, taking the papers from it inside. Maya stepped back a bit to give him some privacy, her eyes went through the pictures on the walls, her fingers sliding across the frame of the picture frames as she tried to remember the day and where those pictures were taken. Maya turned to Farkle and saw that new tears rolled down her friend's face as he finished reading Riley's letter. Maya sat by his side hugging him while her friend cried hugging the paper written by her best friend. Maya was curious about the content, but she would respect if Farkle decided not to share the contents of the letter with her for being too personal.

"Riley asked me to forgive her." He said with a lost gaze. "And I can't ask for her forgiveness anymore, even if she has already said she did forgive me through this letter."

"Riley has never been a person who to hold a grudge or any bad feeling for someone."

Said Maya laying a kiss on his forehead. After a few minutes, Maya turned away from Farkle and looked around the bedroom.

"Look, the rabbit lamp!" Maya said pointing to the rabbit lamp that was hidden in Riley's things. "She had told me she would throw it away when we were decorating her bedroom before high school."

Farkle got up from the bed and took one of those pictures from the wall, his feet lead him to the bay window. Farkle sat on the left, a place that had become his over the years. His right hand ran through the fabrics of the cushions that had watched several meetings where its owner and her friends had talked about silly things to very important matters. Maya joined him sitting on the right side leaving Riley's traditional space between them empty. Maya looked at the picture Farkle is holding in his hands. It was a picture of Riley when she was eighteen years old, Maya could see on that picture Riley's amiable brown eyes and her typical shy smile, Farkle had taken that picture in front of Topanga's bakery on a spring day, a couple days before they say goodbye to high school.

"Do you remember when you got that good grade in Spanish and a part of our group started to do well in something in our freshman year of high school?"

"I do, Riley felt down for not being that good in Spanish."

"I wondered how she was dealing with everything, so I decided to stop by here and I found her sitting on that floor thinking about that new reality in which we were in. We talked about how it all was affecting us and what we would do to deal with it. So, I reminded her that she is better at being herself, at being that girl who has got us with all her courage, optimism, effort, among so many other qualities that we know she has. Those grades were so important and now they are no more, the most important thing is how we strive to make things going right, how we got those friendships and how we transformed and learned from them. Those grades can get you into a great college, but it can't give all the knowledge we get by being close to each other and caring about each other."

A knock on the door caught their attention, Maya and Farkle turned to the door and saw the brunette wearing glasses standing there.

"Hi, excuse me!"

She said walking in the room, the brunette approached Maya and gave a tight hug while whispering her condolences for the loss of their best friend, doing the same with Farkle then.

"You came Smackle!"

"Of course! How could I not come and say my last goodbye to Riley?"

"How are you going? I hope things are going well in California."

"Very well, we're working on an important research, I can't wait to talk about it."

Smackle sat down next to Maya and smiled as she saw the picture in Farkle's hands. Smackle's dream of working in NASA has finally come true. She got a job after she did a great job at the internship, so one of her professors had nominated her for one of his friends who worked at NASA.

"How are you guys doing? It's been a long time since we saw each other, especially you, Maya!"

"Well, I'm working on a gallery here."

"Hey, Farkle! Are you still traveling, or rather, practically living on your private plane?"

"I'm thinking of settling down in somewhere, maybe move in since everyone's here."

And by everyone, they knew he meant his family and the graves of his wife, daughter and now Riley.

"Excuse me?"

The three of them turned at the sound of the voice coming from the door, finding a tall, brown-haired man in a suit that didn't match his personality at all.

"Zay!"

They all said together. Zay smiled and approached hugging Farkle and Maya saying his condolences and turned to Smackle his smile grows even more when he saw her.

"I hear you're doing great, Izzy!"

He said with his hands in his pocket.

"So, I don't get a hug?"

"Of course, you do!"

Smackle stood up being pulled into a tight embrace of Zay, he laid a lingering kiss on her forehead moving away quickly while he flushes after doing it"

"I'm sorry? I was too invasive."

"It's all right, Zay! I've always felt comfortable around you. I also know that you are doing very well."

She smiled amiably at him as he sat down next to Farkle. There were almost all components of her group of friends there like they used to, and Maya felt that at any moment Riley would walk through that door and they would discuss something they learned at Cory's 'classes'."

"I'm very grateful to you and Riley. Smackle said. "I've never been good at making friends like you guys already know. People always thought I was weird so they avoided me, and those who didn't care about that they ended up being distant because I always wanted to be the best in everything I did, and because of this I ended up offending them in some way. But suddenly, somehow, I was in a group. I know, it was horrible of my part to use Maya and Riley to win the debate, but you guys still kept me around after I was so low for you. Riley taught me a lot of things, she helped me experience emotions that I had never experienced, helped me be with my first boyfriend who I am proud to say that my first boyfriend was Farkle Minkus one of the smartest and most handsome boys inside and out that I have ever met." Farkle smiled at Smackle who smiled back "I think you guys have no idea how having you guys in my life changed everything for me and I am very grateful to that. And maybe all this wouldn't have happened if Riley hadn't invited me for that afternoon, right here, in this bedroom. Thank you for still be my friends."

Everyone smiled at Smackle. They were silent for a moment watching the bedroom.

"You know, I think the best thing that ever happened to me was when my father was transferred to New York because if we had stayed in Texas I would have missed this great opportunity to meet you guys. I wouldn't get the chance to meet the blonde beauty, the smart boy, and Riley Matthews the sweetest girl, naive, cheerful, optimistic, brave, faithful, who would do anything for the happiness of the people she loves... I feel so honored to have had this opportunity. Riley had told me one day that your group only became complete when I got here, but the truth is that my life only became complete when I could have all of you by my side. And when I say all of you I'm referring to you too Smackle. Thank you, guys. Thank you very much!"

"I still have the book of etiquette that you gave me, Zay. I carry it with me everywhere I go and your words too."

The two stood silently smiling at each other for a while.

"So, you guys are here!" They all turned to the door, and the brown-haired man came in with his niece in his back. "I just got here, my flight was delayed by three hours."

He bent down so he could put the little brunette on the floor. Charlotte ran to where her godmother was and sat between Maya and Farkle. Everyone turned to the little girl with her long dark hair like her mother sitting where Riley usually sat when they were younger.

"So, this is the Bay window where you and Mom sat to talk about everything when you were kids?"

"Yeah, this is a very special place where we all felt comfortable and safe to talk about anything that was happening to us. You know, we're happy to have you right here with us, Charlotte."

Said Farkle smiling at the little girl, Maya wrapped her arms around Charlotte and placed a kiss on her head.

"Your mom would sit right there where you are sitting, and she would try to solve all the problems, no matter how complicated they might be. And since you're her daughter, you probably will get the same desire to try to fix everything..."

Smackle was interrupted by Auggie when he walked into the bedroom holding hands with Ava. The couple stopped at the door giving a quick look around the room.

"I would like to thank you guys for your presence here," Auggie said in a sad voice that made Ava squeeze her boyfriend's hand showing him support. "Thank you for being a part of my sister's life, for having loved her, for having done Riley happy; thank you, guys for always be by her side, for having protected her, for having loved her the way she was... Riley loved each one of you and me too because you guys became part of my family that never was only formed by only four people." Auggie took a deep breath "Well... My grandmother is calling everyone to get some food."

Everyone took one last look at the room, Maya got up to go help Auggie's and Riley's grandmother in the kitchen, Zay followed her with Josh and Charlotte, but Farkle and Smackle decided to stay in the bedroom alone. They were silent for a while staring at the walls.

"Thank you, Smackle! Thanks for your words, I really appreciate them!"

"I was just being honest, Farkle. You were the best boyfriend I could have had. You were very patient and understanding, accepting me the way I am."

"Thank you for being my first girlfriend and for helping me to understand feelings even when you didn't understand them yourself!"

"I'm glad for that! Farkle, I know this is being very hard for you. I would like to you know that I'm here for you." Said Smackle placing her hand on Farkle's knee "I always knew you love Riley, even you saying that you love them the same way, that's why I always had that bad feeling when it came to you and Riley. I could see that between you and Maya it was just friendship on both sides, but Riley and you... I knew there was something, I knew one day you two would end up getting together somehow."

"I'm sorry if I hurt you, Smackle!"

Farkle said placing his hand over hers making light circles with his thumb on the back of her hand.

"Broke up with you was the right thing to do, Farkle. I appreciate you have tried to make that works, but I learned from someone that we can't control what we feel. That place that I would like to have occupied was already occupied and still occupied by the same person. But I didn't regret taking that decision because if I had been so selfish and not let you go maybe you'd never had the opportunity to experience that happiness, that feeling that you carried with you for some long couple years."

Farkle approached and hugged Smackle, laying a kiss on her forehead after.

In the kitchen, Maya was alone almost finishing placing the sandwiches on the dishes when Josh came over, and in silence, he began helping her with the sandwiches, after a few minutes of silence he finally started to speak:

"Hi!"

"Hi!"

"How are you?"

"Good and you?"

"I still trying to digest it. How are you feeling, Maya?"

"I don't know. I still can't believe this is happening." Said Maya, taking a deep breath as the pain in her chest grows more, tears began to stream down her face again "But I'll be fine someday."

Josh pulled her into a hug and they stayed like that for a while. Maya was crying in silence, she missed his arms around her and the feeling of comfort that he always conveys, and even after all the fights they had, she knew she would always have him there for her.

"I'm here for you. Anything you need just call me. You can call me to tell me anything, do you hear me? Anything!"

"Thank you, Josh!"

She said pulling away from him and wiping her tears.

"I'm staying, Maya. This time I'm staying."

The way he said those words and his eyes remained in her, Maya felt that he wasn't talking about staying in New York, in fact, he meant that maybe he really wants to be with her, that this time he would try to make things work between them.

"Well, I'm happy for you."

Maya turned to the living room, leaving him in the kitchen, her eyes met Lucas' eyes. He was sitting in a position on the sofa that gave him a good view of the place where she and Josh were talking a few seconds ago. Lucas has a worried face that he softened as a friendly smile as soon as he noticed she had caught him watching them, Maya smiled back and set the dish on the coffee table. Her eyes looked around the room, Cory and Topanga are resting in their bedroom; Katy and Shawn still chatting in a corner with Farkle's father; Mrs. Minkus watched in wonder Matheo sleeping in her arms, and by that silly way she was smiling Maya I knew she would be a wonderful grandma if she had that opportunity someday. Farkle joined his mother who started talking to him apparently about something related to Matheo because Farkle's eyes didn't leave Matheo. Her eyes went to the door where Smackle was leaned against the wall talking to Zay and the way his body is leaning toward her, Maya was quite sure he was trying to hit on her. Everyone was there for Riley, to talk about the great person she was and how her brief past here had affected them, Maya knew that her friend would be happy to know that she had made a difference in the lives of all who were there.

* * *

 _ **Thanks for stopping by!**_

 _ **Don't forget: Reviews = Me :) + New chapter**_

 _ **Have a great weekend!**_

 _ **I'll see you in a few days.**_

 _ **Xoxo**_

 _ **"...Just like first love, you give everything and you get so much. Just like first love. You don't really care if it hurts a lot when it's all done. We look back and know it was worth it all, worth it all. We'll never forget how it feels now. Just like first love..."**_ _ **;P**_


	4. Lucas

_**Hi guys!**_

 _ **How are you doing?**_

 _ **Sorry, I was gone! There's a lot of things going on, plus work, and more feelings trouble which made me have no time to write and I was feeling like no doing it.**_

 ** _It's been a while since I've updated this story! What a shame!_**

 ** _Happy a year of history if you still come here!_**

* * *

Six months. Six months without Riley in her life. Maya had never realized how present Riley was in her life until after that week in mourning was over. Everything had the touch of Riley, from the choice of an outfit to more important things. Maya had caught herself up several times writing a message to her best friend about something that was happening in her life, and the moment she would hit send button Maya realized what was really happening, she was writing to a person who couldn't read the text and couldn't even answer it.

In those six months, few things had changed. Topanga and Cory continued with their mourning and Maya rarely can meet them. Farkle would be in town in a few hours; he'd told her that he'd just sold his apartment in Chicago and was looking for a place for himself in NY, something Maya offered to help him. Lucas was somewhat complicated, in the early days Maya had received a huge amount of texts and calls about various subjects, in some things Maya could help him and others not, but after a while these texts and calls decreased dramatically to the point that Maya was the person who tries to get in contact with him, and at various times she thought he was ignoring her. She knew Lucas had hired a nanny to care for the kids while he was working, and it was just that person who let Maya know what was going on there, that woman was the person who was in charge of calling Maya so she could talk with the kids and it kind of hurt Maya feeling.

Josh had shown up at her house a few days ago. In fact, she was surprised to hear the sound of the doorbell as almost no one came to visit her. He had brought Tacos from her favorite place and asked to come in so they could finally talk after all this time. Josh had moved on to New Jersey in a city fifteen minutes away from New York because he wasn't in the mood to pay the high rent of New York. For a second Maya thought of telling him to live there with her because her apartment was too big for one person, but the not-so-distant past prevented her from doing it so. She wasn't into to live it again even if something inside her told her that it was only a matter of time. He asked her out on the weekend because he could bet Maya doesn't get distracted for a long time, something she did not even bother to deny since Riley had passed away Maya desire of goes out and have fun had died.

Maya was upset to see him walking into Topanga's. It was the first time in months she'd seen him and the first in months he would talk to her. Since Topanga had no intention of doing anything, Maya had volunteered to help with Topanga's with the help of her mom who already knew everything that needed to be done. He looked different, a little older, and maybe that was the fault of the beard he now owns added to the whole avalanche that happed on his life. Lucas didn't have even bothered to tell her of his presence in the city. He doesn't even try to get in touch with her and that had hurt Maya.

"Maya, it's time for your break."

She heard her mom say. Maya would refuse her mom's offer when she realized that her mom was looking at Lucas sitting alone at a table in the corner.

"Okay, I'll just do one more."

Maya walked toward him, she needed to know what was going on with him, the real reason for all his silence. But everything was gone on from her head as soon as she had seen his sad eyes, Lucas seemed to be somewhere but there.

"I can take your order, sir."

Hearing her voice woke him up and Lucas looked at her in confusion.

"Maya?"

"No, Adele!"

Maya rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

"I actually have the same question for you. You didn't even tell me anything."

She saw him blushing already knowing he would undergo interrogation.

"We got in New York on Monday."

"What would you like to drink?"

"A cup of coffee. I'm going to met Topanga here."

"A coffee, right. Just a minute."

She said going back to the counter where her mom already had a tray in her hands with coffee, some other drink, and pieces of chocolate cake.

"This is for you two. Coffee is darker because I know that's what he needs now. Don't worry, I can take care of everything. Take the time you need."

Maya smiled gratefully at her mom and then returned to the table. He watched her join him uninvited and Maya could feel he was uncomfortable with it. Maya handed him his coffee and he stared at the dark liquid of his cup for a few seconds.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm good. How about you?"

"I'm fine."

She said looking at her cup watching the smoke dissolve in the air. They were silent for a few minutes so Maya lifted her eyes and saw him still staring his untouchable cup.

"How are you doing? Honestly."

"I'm fine, the kids are fine too. They are with my mom at the moment, while I try to find a place for us and a new job."

"Maybe I can help you. Farkle is also looking for a place for him and I am helping him."

"You don't need to." He said quickly what made Maya shut up. "I'm already seeing some apartment right now. This apartment has a two-bedroom and is located in a good neighborhood."

"I heard that a clinic near the gallery is hiring..."

"You don't need to worry about it, Maya. I'm already taking care of everything."

He cut her off again and Maya could hear a bit of anger in his voice. Maya stared into Lucas's green eyes which made him look away. Had she done something wrong? Had she hurt him somehow without knowing it?

"Okay! So, can I see the kids?"

"Of course! Just let my mom know when. You know she hates unexpected visits because she likes that her house is perfect to welcome visitors."

His eyes lingered on the coffee intact in front of him as if that were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Lucas" Maya touched his hand and in a few seconds he withdrew his hand from the table as if she had some kind of contagious disease "What's happening?"

"Nothing... I... I have a commitment that I completely forgot about."

He said taking some dollar bills from his wallet and placing them on the table, Maya holds his hand.

"You don't have to pay, it's on the house."

"No, I want to pay for them!"

"Lucas, Topanga already said..."

"Good afternoon, Maya!"

He said getting up and leaving her alone. Maya watched him leave the bakery striding and disappear behind the walls. In pain, Maya found herself leaving the table and going to the nearest bathroom. Why the hell was she crying? She hadn't done anything, he was acting so strange, but for him were acting like that with her something must have happened and she would like to know what it was.

She found herself standing at the Friar's door that same night. Maya was so nervous because she had no idea how things would end after that, Lucas probably would not want to know about her and would make up some excuse to not talk to her, but she was a Hart, Lucas would talk to her even if she has to tie him up.

Mrs. Friar had come to the door and by the way she was dressed she would probably be out in a couple minutes. Mrs. Friar smiled kindly when she recognizing Maya as she had always done.

"Good evening, Maya! I didn't know you were coming over. Lucas must have forgotten to tell me."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Friar for not having warned you of my presence. Lucas doesn't really know that I'm here."

"Oh! Come in, I'm sorry for any mess."

Maya walks in the comfortable and always tidy Friars' living room that still looks the same way she had seen before when she had to do homework and assignments with Lucas, in fact, when she watched Lucas do all the work for them.

"There's no reason to worry, Mrs. Friar. Everything is perfect as always."

"I was taking the kids to the library. Today will have a special exhibition of children's movies but we can go another day."

"No, Mrs. Friar! You can take them today. I just need to talk to Lucas."

"But I have to do something for you to eat."

"Oh, don't worry! I'm fine."

"At least something to drink..."

"I'm serious, don't worry about me! Now, go, take the kids to watch the movie." Maya could see in her face that she was afraid to leave Maya without her southern traditional welcoming way. "It would be nice for them to know a bit about the city and get distracted. The move in must have stressed them out and a movie might help them relax a bit."

By the smile that Lucas' mom gave to her Maya knew she had won it.

"All right. I'd better take them." She looked down the hall and shouted: "Charlotte honey, are you ready yet?"

"I'm going downstairs, grandma."

Said the girl running and Maya could hear her footsteps pressed down the few steps of the stair. In less than a minute Charlotte was there in her flowers blue dress, her hair was in two messy braids and Maya could swear that Lucas had done that.

"Auntie Maya!"

Said the girl running to her as soon as her eyes fall on Maya, Maya bent down and caught her in her arms hugging the little girl.

"Hi, beauty. You are so gorgeous!"

"Did you see my braids? Daddy did them!" She said, running her hand through her hair. "He's getting better on it."

Maya could see the look of disapproval on Lucas's work in Mrs. Friar's eyes.

"I'll fix them, Honey!"

Maya heard other footsteps approaching them, Lucas showed up in the hallway with Matheo on his arms. Matheo had grown a few inches and his hair had got a bit blonder since the last time she'd seen him. Lucas was about to say something, but he shut his mouth when he noticed Maya there.

"Maya, what are you doing here?"

"Good evening, Lucas!" Maya headed toward him, Matheo soon opened his arms to her so Maya could pick him up. "Hi, Ma! How are you doing? You are so handsome!"

"He still not talking, Auntie Maya. Mandy, Papi, and Grandma try to get a word from him a long time ago, but he doesn't say anything."

"It's kind of worry me, he's almost three. Maybe there's something wrong." Mrs. Friar said worriedly before looking at her watch. "Okay, we have to go right now or we'll be late and be late is something ugly to do." She said taking Matheo out of Maya's arms "Charlotte, say goodbye to your godmother!"

Charlotte ran to hug Maya.

"I'll tell you everything later, Auntie Maya."

"Is everything there mom? Is there milk, diapers..."

"Are you really trying to tell me what to do, young man?"

Mrs. Friar arched her eyebrows and Lucas blushed.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am!"

They left them alone and in a few minutes, the silence between them became embarrassing. Maya turned to Lucas who seemed already to be plotting an escape route.

"So, can we talk now?"

"Why did you come here, Maya? I'm kind of busy right now."

"Of course you're! You're too busy trying to think of any way to make me leave. So, what's it going to be this time?"

She saw him turning red.

"Sorry, that's not my intention. I'm just kind of tired."

She saw him scratching the back of her neck and confirming that he was lying and he'll be lying for the next few minutes.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Of course something happened! You've been ignoring me for months. Did I say something wrong? Something that hurt you?"

"No. I'm sorry if I made you think so. There are so many things going on right now in my life. I'm... I'm just feeling kind of lost right now."

He said as he sat down on the couch, Maya followed him and put her hand on his leg for support.

"You know, I'm here to help you. You don't have to do it by yourself."

Lucas buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath.

"I still can't believe this is happening. I'm afraid I wouldn't be enough for them. Raising two children alone is so hard, Maya! I barely have time to be with them. I let a stranger educate them for six months, and it was kind of scary because I didn't know if she was really good for them. I'm afraid they feel left out. I'm afraid they think I don't love them."

"Don't say bullshit, Lucas! They know you love them."

"Your mom was almost never around. Did not you feel abandoned?"

"I knew we needed the money, so I did not expect much from her. I knew she loved me even though she was away most of the day. Yes, it's complicated to see all the parents there at school and your mom doesn't even show up because she was so busy that she forgot the presentation or she just can't go because of her work. But getting hot water, electric power, clothes to call mine, food every day and know that she did all this because she loves me it kind of made it acceptable. I know if she could, she would live around me each minute of the day."

"I don't want them to feel left out."

"And they won't. Lucas, you have a great support team. Whenever you need just call me. I know, I don't have much experience in this department, but one day I will have to, who knows."

She saw him getting uncomfortable again, Lucas got up pretending to look for something and Maya found herself rethinking her words for some clue of what had left him like this.

"Don't get me wrong, Maya. But could you leave? I kind of have a meeting right now, this is the reason why my mom went out with the kids."

He scratched his head and turned to her.

"A meeting?"

"A job interview."

"A job interview? At this time?"

Maya said thinking it was weird because Lucas's job was not the kind of job to get an interview after eight p.m.

"She cannot interview me when I went there on Tuesday because she was in a hurry, so she arranged a dinner to get to know me better."

She, a dinner to get to know Lucas better. Maya already knew where that would go. "Why a dinner? Couldn't she ask you to come back another day?"

"I actually suggested that, but she wanted the dinner."

She definitely wants to hire him, but not as a veterinarian and apparently, he was the one who had not realized it.

"This is weird!"

"There is nothing weird, Maya. It's just a dinner."

"I don't know, maybe you should be careful."

He arched his brow in disbelief.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Maya. If you'll excuse me, I have to change."

"You can go get ready, I'll be right here waiting to see what we'll get."

"Maya..."

Maya pushed him toward the hall.

"Less talk and less clothes on."

They walk in the bedroom that used to be Lucas' bedroom. There were an extra bed and a crib in the corner that made the bedroom look smaller than it really is. The room was in a complete mess, and Maya found herself laughing because she had never thought to see that place always tidy like that.

"Sorry for the mess! I haven't had time to clean up the room yet."

Lucas said embarrassed. Charlotte's dresses occupied almost half of the bed, her shoes were scattered on the floor, and Maya knew Charlotte was the one who decides what she is going to wear. Maya found herself picking up the dresses while Lucas went to the bathroom to get ready. She opened the closet and began to put the dresses there when two boxes in the corner caught her eyes, one of them was wrapped in a striped paper in white, navy blue and green, the other box was full of clippings and pictures of Maya and Riley from when they met until their last year together. Her hands went to the box with their pictures, it looked bigger than the other one and that dox was heavy. Maya leaned it against an empty shelf and when she was opening it she heard Lucas's footsteps coming toward the room which made her quickly return the box to the original location.

"What are you doing?"

She heard his voice that made her turn quickly to face him. Lucas was serious and Maya wondered if he had not seen her with the box in her hands.

"I was putting the dresses in the closet for you." She felt that he had not believed in it. "And where do you think you're going?"

Maya approached him, Lucas looked at his own clothes in search of something wrong. Maya could feel his new intoxicating cologne when she was just a few steps away from him. Whoever is that woman, she would definitely like what she was going to see, and then Maya realized that she wasn't comfortable with the idea of some woman hitting on him.

"There is something wrong?"

"Not if that dinner is about sponsorship for your Cowboy career, Huckleberry."

He tried, but he could not hold a smile since he had not heard those nicknames for a long time.

"Cowboy, Huckleberry. Oh really?"

"Look at you! You're definitely going to a rodeo. "

"Maya is just a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt. Everyone wears it!"

He rolled his eyes.

"Where? Only if it's in Texas or in rodeos. Take it off!"

"No, I'm fine with them and I don't care what you say!"

Maya bit her cheek and her eyes fall at baby powder of Matheo, a playful grin showed up on her face and it quickly disappeared. Her hands grabbed the baby powder opening it as Lucas searched for his stuff.

"Do whatever you want! I'm just trying to help you, but you don't want my help!"

Lucas turned way to say something when Maya completely accidentally stumbled on one of Charlotte's shoes causing the contents of the pack to spread around the room and in the shirt of Lucas. Lucas watched his clothes turn white as Maya tried to hide her grin.

"What the fuck, Maya!"

He said angrily trying to get the baby powder off his clothes.

"Watch your mouth young man! It's not just because the kids are out that you can say such things!"

Lucas gave her a deadly look.

"Get out!"

"Come on, cowboy! It was just a little accident! "

"Yeah, it was just an accident!"

He said showing that it was totally intentional on her part.

"Are you going to stand blaming on me or are you going to get ready for your interview? The clock is ticking."

Lucas sighed and went back to the bathroom and then Maya could laugh as she tried to clean up her mess. he was back in a few minutes, Lucas had changed his pants, his shirt was still with baby powder.

"You're not considering going like this..."

"Of course not," he said, cutting her off "I just need to find a shirt to wear."

"I do it!" She said, running into the closet, her eyes passing through the thousands of blue shirts or plaids shirts until she reached a yellow shirt that looked like someone had threw up on it. "Done!"

She said taking off the shirt of the closet, Lucas looked at her in shock.

"You are kidding? I'm not going to wear it."

"Come on, it's not that bad!"

Maya said taking the shirt to him.

"Riley gave it to me on our first anniversary when we were dating and I kept it hidden for years. This is horrible!"

Maya laughed because she remembered that was her who had chosen the shirt and for some reason, Riley believed that Lucas would really like that shirt.

"Come on! It's just a shirt! I didn't know you cared about that, usually, boys wear anything."

"We have a sense of ridicule, but we only use it on special occasions."

"Are you going to take it off or will I have to do it for you?"

"I'm not going wear this!"

Maya rolled her eyes and put the shirt on the clean part of the bed, turning to him then, her hands stopped at the first buttons of his shirt before his hands held hers keeping her from moving.

"No!"

"Why not? You said it's a gift from Riley, and maybe this shirt brings you good luck. I think it would be like she's by your side, supporting you in this interview."

Lucas looked at the shirt considering what she had said, and Maya knew that with this argument she had won it.

"Maybe you got a point."

He released her hand, and then Maya continued to unbutton the buttons of his mess shirt, her eyes never leaving his green eyes.

"I don't have a point, I just won it!"

She tapped him on the shoulder so he would take off his shirt while she got the other one on the bed. Maya handed him the shirt and carelessly her eyes traveled over his bare skin, he no longer had the physique she was used to in their last years of high school and college, but he wasn't bad. It was wrong to look at him like that and Maya found herself looking away from him. Lucas was Riley's husband and she should not look at him like that, Maya thought she'd learned that a few years ago but apparently she needs to remember that to herself.

"Done!" he said buttoning the last button, Maya turned her eyes on him and he wasn't looking that bad. "How do I look?"

"Looks like someone threw up on you." He raised his eyebrow at her words and Maya laughed "I'm kidding. You're looking good!"

"You're such a bad liar!"

He said crossing his arms.

"Really?" She looked defiant "So what have I done in those last two decades?"

Lucas looked at the messed-up room.

"My mom will kill me when she comes back and sees all this mess."

He began to pick up the clothes scattered on the floor, shaking those with baby powder.

"Don't worry! I can take care of it. Now go to your interview! "Maya said changing her intonation as she said the word interview. "You don't want to be late."

"What's wrong?"

He said turning to her.

"You know this isn't just an interview, Lucas. It's just a dinner where she wants to know if you have the qualities to make her happy."

"It's just an interview, Maya. You are seeing things where there is none."

He said rolling his eyes and going to get his wallet beside the bed.

"Ok, it's just an interview."

She said wryly.

"I need to go!"

he said turning to her waiting for her to say goodbye.

"Like I said, I'm going to clean up your bedroom. So, enjoy that I'm in a good mood!"

"You don't have to do this, Maya!"

Maya pulled Lucas by the arm and led him toward the door.

"Get out, Huckleberry!"

"But you don't have a key!"

"Keys were never a problem to me!"

She said pointing to the window where she had walked in several times.

"I think you're too old to walk in and out through the window, Maya."

"Actually, I'm still the same size."

He couldn't hold back the louder laughter that comes out of his mouth, and he could see the smile on her face, apparently, she had overcome her problem with her height.

"Now out!"

She said pushing him to the door.

* * *

 _ ** _Thank y_ ou for coming here!**_

 _ **Have or do yourself a great weekend and an amazing week!**_

 _ **Once again, sorry for disappearing!**_


	5. Farkle

_**Hi, guys!**_

 _ **How are you doing?**_

 _ **Sorry for disappearing! I was writing a story and traveling to another state, so, before facing another eight hours on the road for this new trip I decided that I wanted to release this small chapter because it's been a while since I've been here and in Unfaithful too (Which I did not have time to write still, don't kill me! don't kill me!).**_

* * *

He was back in that house. It had been years since he had last set foot in that bedroom. There were still some toys around, toys that the teenage Farkle didn't dare to get rid, and his mom kept them perfectly organized in the same place.

There were so many memories in that room, he could perfectly see the four friends almost graduating from high school there, enjoying all the comfort that he always was ashamed to have. Maya had been impressed with all that luxury, and for the first time he could realize how competitive Riley was while she was playing video games, and that maybe was the real reason for the Matthews have banned video games on their house. They had met a few other times there, but the fact Farkle doesn't have Riley's Bay Window meant that those times when friends met there became few. Of all his friends Riley had been the one who was most in that room, she spent hours there playing video games, or better, working on a school assignment with Farkle for her parents believes, or just spending time with him. Riley hates to lose, and Farkle had been aware of all the ways she used to make him lose too. How many times he had given up playing while she was kissing his neck in a more provocative way or simply kept his eyes covering with her hands.

His eyes fall on his bed and he could see the brunette lying in there with her head on his chest, looking at his private universe where Pluto was still there. Farkle loved those moments when they talked about nothing and everything, lying warm on his bed, he loved the way her hand fits perfectly into his during these conversations. He loved how his sheets smelled like her after she left him because he could prolong her presence there for more longer than was possible.

Farkle sat on the bed and he could see the brunette lying there with her face resting on her hands watching him. She had an amusing smile like she always did before kissing him when he was off guard. He could see her lifting her body from the mattress and then kissing him quickly before pulling away and laughing. His hands reached for his lips when he could still feel the softness of her lips there.

Farkle sighed as he saw all those ghosts starting to confront him. He had been so happy there with her, why had things gone so wrong after college? Damn it! He misses her so much, there wasn't a day he did not miss his lovely sunshine, even on the worst days, even if he couldn't stand to look at her face. It doesn't matter, he had always missed her at the end of the day.

Farkle let his body fall onto the bed, closing his eyes as he felt the softness of the mattress touching his back after all those hours on the plane. Then her perfume hit him so fresh as if she was still there, Farkle opened his eyes to find her curious, docile brown eyes above him.

"Hey, you! Are you tired?"

He could see the eighteen-year-old Riley sitting closed to him wearing his Star Wars T-shirt, her long black hair stuck in a messy bun on top of her head.

"A little bit."

He heard himself answering her, then her amused features turned in a little sad one. Farkle felt the mattress swaying as she moved on her knees getting to his side. Riley leaned her hand on the mattress next to his arm and Farkle's hands automatically went to her waist as he predicting a possible catastrophe since he knows that the motor skills, gravity, and Riley sometimes (most of the times) has a disagreement. Riley sat on his lap, resting her hands on the mattress next to his head, bending down a few inches from his face.

"It's bad!"

"Why?"

He affectionately stroked the uncovered part of her thighs and Riley looked fake thoughtful for a few seconds.

"Because I was thinking of doing some things, but since you're tired, maybe I should keep it for later."

"What kind of things?"

"Could we go to the mall to meet Maya and get some clothes?"

"No way!"

He said rolling his eyes, this was one of the times he misses boys friends in his life, preferably guys like him.

"I heard they're having a new exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History today."

"This one, it's kind of interesting, but I know you don't like it."

"Exactly, it's not my cup tea, even if it's interesting."

Riley straights her spine still sitting on his hip, resting her hand on his chest.

"We could play a game of Zombies..."

"I'm not in the mood for your dirty game today. You never play fair."

Riley raised her eyebrow questioning him.

"Seriously? Or is it you who doesn't know how to play and doesn't have a little bit of self-control?"

"I know how to play and I have self-control!"

He said indignantly, Riley laughed and lifted her weight from Farkle's hip, his hands again went to her waist.

"Of course, you have!"

She said wryly.

"Irony doesn't suit you."

"I can prove that I'm right."

"How?"

Farkle propped himself up on his elbows. The mattress moved again as Riley laid her hand on his abdomen for stability and then Riley positioned herself farther down his hip.

"I've got a few tricks."

She said mischievously.

"Which are?"

He said interested, Riley bit her bottom lip avoiding a smile.

"Just a few one tricks."

"Tell me, I'm interested."

"No!"

She said, leaning forward and then their lips touched delicately. Farkle found himself kissing her slow kiss back, which in a few seconds grew sensual. The way her tongue provocatively danced with his tongue made him dizzy. Farkle propped himself up now with only one elbow as his other hand went to the nape of her neck bringing her closer if that were possible. She bit his bottom lip and Farkle felt his body shiver, with only a single kiss Riley Matthews was able to make his body got in fire. She pulled away and he could see her innocent eyes on him, and Riley pushed him to lie on the mattress something he promptly obeyed.

Her eyes so innocent, tender and so pure was looking at him and Farkle knew she knew he loved it. He felt her fingernails slide across the fabric of his shirt, and then Riley moved slow and torturous against his groin and Farkle let an involuntary sigh escape his lips. His hands gripped her waist as she moved torturously. Riley didn't break their eyes contact even for a second because she wants to see how much she was pleasing him.

Farkle put his hands on her thighs, gripping them before his hands slid up under his shirt. She was wearing, feeling her soft, warm skin against his hand. He realizes that Riley was wearing nothing but his shirt and it drove him crazy. His hands stopped at her perfect breasts, touching them, and then he heard her sigh and move more intensely against him before her hands stopped over his hands. For a moment she did nothing, she just enjoys his touch on her body, but suddenly her hands pulled his hands away, taking them from her body.

"Not. You can't touch me."

Farkle stared at her no getting what she was saying.

"What?"

Riley leaned over so she could get closer to his ear and said:

"You can't touch me. Didn't you just say you have self-control? So, prove it to me."

She bit the lobe of his ear, laughing then and he knew that he was so fucking lost. Her lips, her tongue all over his skin made him want so fucking much touch her, more and more at every single touch of her, and he knew she desperately wanted him to touch her, but she wouldn't give up, it wasn't like her to give up. His hip moved against her in the same desperation pace that she set up and he heard her groan deeply as she bit her bottom lip. Her eyes were begging him to give up, but no, he wasn't going to give in to her and prove she was right, he was stronger than that. Farkle pressed his fingers on the sheets looking for some control inside of himself.

"Farkle?" She moaned his name and he shut his eyes, trying to stay focused on his goal "Farkle, please!"

He opened his eyes and saw her eyes begging him and he almost gave in. His hands almost touching her thigh, but he kept them on the mattress. Riley lifted her hands until her hair, undoing her bun and let her hair fall free around her. Her hair fell in delicate waves instead of her usually straight hair, she looked so sexy and then he realized that he needed to touch her so fucking much. She got what she wanted when she let a new moan left from her lips. Farkle was so fuck done with that game. He held her before turning her to the bed, and Riley let out a surprised yell from her lips before he crushed his lips on hers. Their hands desperately went to Farkle's pants trying to unbutton it, and when their bodies connected, he heard her moan echo through the walls as he had never heard it before, and then he mentally thanked that his parents weren't there.

Breathless, Farkle opened his eyes staring at the ceiling of the bedroom. He was there alone in the quiet apartment. It seemed so real, but it wasn't, even that he could feel her so presently there. His body burned in need of her, her touches and his mind went back to the last time he had her a few months ago, and that feels like have happened just a few hours ago. He could see her lost eyes as she drove in the waves of pleasure that had hit her; Farkle could hear her heartbeat close to his, her chest was quickly going up and down as she tried to catch some breathing. He had never seen her as beautiful as she was that night, and he knew it was stupid because all the last times he saw her that same thought crossed his mind. But none of that matters now, Riley is no longer there and the memory of that last night will be all that he will get of her from now on. The hoarse I love you that left her lips still fresh echoing in his head. How could they lose it all? How could they waste the chance of being happy together? Why did they have to be so stupid, so proud, and so headstrong?

Farkle felt new tears forming in his eyes. This was a pain different from the others he had felt years ago. He could never compare the pain of losing Charlotte to losing Riley because they were different people who occupied different positions in his life. Riley had been the girl with who he had most spend time with, the person with whom he had shared such a good and painful feeling. Charlotte was the person who taught him love, love at the purest level he had once felt. The positive side of this situation is that Charlotte will never be able to feel how cruel the world could be with her, she will never be hurt, she will never feel something like what he feels at that moment, so he is happy for her brief stay there, even though he still keeping her things.

"So, you're home."

His eyes went to the door and he saw the tall blonde staring at him.

"Good afternoon, Mom! I just got here."

"You must be hungry. I'm going to ask Claudia to get a snack for you. In fact, I'll do it myself."

She said as she headed back into the hallway.

"Mom," said Farkle drawing her attention to him what made her shut her mouth "I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense, you probably haven't eaten anything, and this's bad for you. I'll be back in a minute."

She left him again alone. Farkle sighed, he was tired of her remind him about food, what he needs to eat and when he should eat. He'd heard it every single day for the past few years and in those last few months even more. Don't get him wrong, he knows that she loves him and does it for his well, but he is looking forward to the time when he could finally get a place just for himself, and after that, never give a copy of the keys to his mom because he is sure she would give a way to always show up there at least once or twice a day to check him out.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for still coming here after alllll this time!**_

 _ **And if you are a ghost, did you know that you increase the life expectancy of an author when you write a review?**_

 _ **See you around.**_

 _ **I will have a test next week so don't expect me to put any updates until February.**_

 _ **It's time to go sleep, bye!**_


	6. When the past comes to say hi

**_Hi, guys!_**

 ** _How are you doing today?_**

 ** _How much time has passed, huh?_**

 _ **How was your weekend?**_

 ** _Have you guys taken a look at my new story Manhattan's lies? If you haven't seen it yet, go and check it out! I'm letting you know if you do not like Josh and Maya you probably will not like the beginning of the story, but get a cup of chamomile tea or a glass of passion fruit juice and be patient to know what will happen next (even though I think the first chapter already has a clue)._**

 _ **So, let's go to one more chapter!**_

* * *

Almost everything was ready for the movie, only the food was missing and Maya was craving for Chinese food from the restaurant near her apartment. She could get up and walk two blocks, but she didn't feel like doing it. Her hand reached the phone at the same time as she heard someone knocking on her door. Maya looked at the phone thinking on the food and then to the door and she sighed throwing the phone on the couch. She wasn't expecting anyone, and if it was again her neighbor complaining about the noise that did not exist she would hang him.

Her eyes fell on the dark-haired man in front of her, he smiled as he placed some bags who was hidden on behind his back in front of her.

"I thought you'd fancy some of this."

Maya looked at the bags of one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city.

"If all this food isn't warm I'm not going to pay for it and you aren't getting tips."

She said, walking away from the door.

"Well, I hope it's warm then!"

He said, winking and walking in the apartment.

"So, what are your plans for tonight?"

He said putting the bags on the coffee table, kneeling in front of it to arrange the food.

"Let's see, eat something, watch a movie and sleep."

"It's a Friday night, Maya! I'm so glad that I came. "

Maya sat on the arm of the couch watching him doing his work.

"When did you get here?"

"Tuesday of last week. I'm sorry I didn't come to see you, I was kind of busy with the organization and with all that move on thing. Good thing I have helpful neighbors who have decided to help me with all that mess."

Riley did not tell me that you had arrived, her brain had already formed that phrase when she realized what she was going to say and the urge to eat that food that smelled so good disappeared.

"Which movie are you going to watch?"

"Don't know yet."

He turned to her and smiled.

"A friend of mine directed a really cool movie, I think we could watch it together. So, what will be, you want to eat before the movie, along with the movie or after?"

"You choose."

"Okay, let's eat now because I hate watching and eating at the same time."

He said pointing to Maya to sit on the other side of the table, so Maya got up and took her place.

"Are you missing the California weather?"

"Not really, I'm missing the snow, it's a good thing that in a few months it'll be back."

The lights flickered as they both looked at the lamp, Maya knew that this was just a warning to the inevitable and seems like he was already familiar with this sign.

"Do you have any candles?"

"I don't know, it's been a while since this has happened."

"So, let's hurry up!"

In less than a minute everyone was immersed in the darkness, Maya could see the light far from the superior part of the city at that moment from her window.

"Good, Chinese food over candlelight to liven up the mood."

He said as the faint light of the first candle lit the room.

"Please, do not set fire to my apartment!"

"Don't worry!"

He said lighting up a few more candles around them.

They ate and talked since the movie wasn't an option for them anymore. In twenty minutes the power was back, but Josh insisted they keep the lights off. They talked about his new job, about her job at Topanga's and at the cultural center, about her paintings, about her annoying neighbor. They looked like old friends sitting on the couch together, her legs over his as they did on their good days when they were together. She likes the comfortable feeling he brought to her that made her forget about the last time they had been together before all these hard things had happened, when he had yelled at her, called her crazy and swore he would never come back and then slammed that same door.

"Maybe you should paint me a painting something to bring to life my apartment, but it can not be anything too pornographic because Mrs. Amy Matthews would go crazy after seeing it."

He laughed leaning toward her.

"So you want a pornographic painting?"

"It's up to you."

He said, patting her knee lightly. They were silent for a moment staring into nowhere, Maya sank her head into the comfortable arm of her couch closing her eyes. She felt him move beside her and when she opened her eyes she could see his brown eyes above her.

"I don't know if I told you this, but you're getting more and more beautiful, little ferret."

Maya felt his fingers on her face as he caressed her. She knows how it would end, but it had been a while since the last time she had gone out with someone, and maybe that was the real reason why she had the courage to kiss him.

She missed his kiss, it was one of the best she had ever had. Okay, she could count her number of boyfriends with one hand, and she'd been so focused on him that she'd ignored any guy who tried to get closer to her since she found out her attraction for boys. His kiss was comfortable, she knew what to expect from him, what his steps would be and maybe she could already see how he would break her heart again.

Josh pulled away from her smiling, they were silent for a moment.

"Oh! I was not expecting that."

Yeah, she knew he was expecting, maybe it was not like he had planned the kiss, but he got it anyway. Josh turned to her hopefully.

"Are you seeing someone?"

She knew he already knew the answer he was just asking for asking.

"No."

He smiled at her answer.

"Good, because I'm not either!"

He leaned over again with his lips softly attached to hers. Maya could feel him laying her on the couch, his kiss taking on more urgency and intensity as his body pressed hers against the couch. She already knew that story, some people say we should learn from our mistakes, but apparently, she was too dumb to do that. Josh's shirt was in some corner of the room along with hers in a few minutes. Her head was spinning as his hands and his mouth made her so fucking dizzy, Maya wrapped his hips with her legs which made both of them moan with the friction of their bodies moving together.

"Damn, I've missed you!"

He said into her ear before biting into her earlobe. Maya felt gooseflesh over her body because of his hoarse voice and hot breath against her skin. Her hands went down to his belt pulling it off with Josh's help. In a few seconds, his pants were discarded on the floor as he helped her pull off her shorts. She was not fooling herself, it was just a physical need at that moment, that did not mean they were something, they had done it several times and Riley had always said when she arrived on the other day that it was just a matter of hours or days before they were back together officially.

Josh pulled her into his lap, his lips stopped at her neck with wet slowing kisses as his hands gripped Maya's waist and helped her move over his boner giving it the right and good pressure he needs.

"I need you!"

He said into her ear and Maya felt her body shiver. His hands were in her panties pulling it down as a sound caught their attention, Maya heard the uncertain knock on her door again.

"Ignore it, he or she will leave."

Josh said sliding the tiny piece of fabric down her thighs and Maya even thought of hearing him until her name was spoken by that familiar voice.

Maya took Josh's hand out of her panties and adjusted it in place before getting up, picking up her clothes and throwing Josh's clothes at him.

"I'm coming!"

She said Josh moved his head in disapproval as he was getting dressed. Maya looked at him impatiently because Josh was taking too long and she didn't want Lucas to think they were doing anything. Maya blew out the candles and turned on the light, when they were presentable she opened the door and saw a Lucas handing a bag standing there looking at her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you!"

"Don't worry, I was not sleeping."

She said embarrassed, she felt his eyes studying her.

"Can we talk?"

"Of course!"

She said while giving him room to walk in her apartment. Lucas stopped when he saw that she was not alone, his eyes looked around the room.

"You know what, Let's talk in another time!"

He said turning to the door, Maya could see Josh's smile rising and involuntarily her hand gripped Lucas's arm.

"No, you came here because you need something, you need me. Josh, would you leave us alone? Please!"

His smile fell.

"You want me to..." he said gesturing toward the bedroom's door, but Maya pointed to her apartment's door "Alright!"

He said taking a deep breath and getting up, Lucas looked anywhere but at them. Josh went to the door and gave a light kiss dangerously close to her lips.

"See you around!" He approached her ear and whispered her address "If you need anything, I'll be there."

She could see what he really wanted to say as his words, it was a promise of what would inevitably happen between them, she just did not know how long she would resist. Josh waved to Lucas and then left, Maya took a deep breath as she already knew what would happen next.

"I didn't want to bother you. Clearly, you two were too busy." He said gesturing to the candles as he set the bag down on the table "By the way, what was he doing here?"

"We were just talking, he brought me some food and that's it."

Lucas laughed and Maya narrowed her eyes.

"If talking means messing people's hair, clothes and leaving the other's neck red, then you've been talking a lot."

Maya found herself involuntarily trying to hide her neck with her hair.

"That's none of your business, Huckleberry! You're not my dad, much less my boyfriend."

"I'm not, but I'm your friend, Maya. I care so much about you and we both know how this story always ends."

Maya bit her bottom lip.

"Maybe it's different this time."

She said crossing her arms in a protective posture and then Lucas came closer, holding her arms.

"Who do you want to fool Maya? Me or yourself?"

Her green eyes penetrated her blues and Maya found herself biting her lips again, he was right and she knows it very well. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her forehead.

"What are you doing here, Huckleberry?"

She felt him laugh.

"You were right."

"Wait!" She said pulling away. "Let me see and hear you better. What did you say?"

"I said you were right, Maya."

"About what?"

She saw him rolling his eyes which made her smile.

"She just wanted to talk about my personal life, you know. She wasn't interested in my professional life. She told me that I should consider a boarding school for my kids since I'm going to be busy most of the day, and she even told me about one. She kept touching me all the time and I felt so uncomfortable, and then I had to pretend that Charlotte was feeling sick to get out of there."

"I told you so!" She said smiling, picking up the bag "What is it?"

"Your favorite ice cream, brought it more like a bargaining chip because you would not want to hear me, but I do not think you deserve it anymore."

Lucas went at her direction and Maya protected the bag with her body.

"Don't get any closer, Ranger Rick! You know I can knock you down."

He laughed.

"We both know I could get this out of your hand in less than two seconds."

"No! you can't when it is about ice cream! Now do something useful and get me a spoon."

Lucas sighed and went to her kitchen.

"Sorry, what did you say before that talk over ice cream?"

"About what?"

"Oh, about me being right."

Lucas showed her his middle finger and Maya laughed.

"Whoa, bad Lucas is in the area! How many times would Mrs. Friar hit you with a belt in situations like this?"

"Actually, ten times, I would probably get three weeks grounding in my bedroom and a month helping with the heaviest farm work."

"So, Ranger Rick was once a bad boy?"

She said playfully as she watched him approach her, Lucas approached dangerously closer and gave her a spoon.

"Well, ma'am, I think you still don't know me so well, huh."

He said tipping his imaginary hat.

* * *

 ** _Thank you for coming here!_**

 ** _I hope you have a great week._**

 ** _Take care of yourself._**

 ** _See you!_**

 ** _Why can't I get Chasing Cars out of my head?_**

 _Those three words are said too much, they're not enough. If I lay here. If I just lay here. Would you lie with me and just forget the world? Forget what we're told before we get too old._


End file.
